Parent-Child Circle
The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara offers classes for parents (or other caregivers) and their toddlers, ages one to three. These Parent-Child Circles meet once a week and are led by a trained Waldorf educator. There are generally several sessions to choose from at any given time.
Through a morning of play, crafts, circle games and songs, cooking and puppet shows, we share our understanding of child development and offer sources of inspiration for life at home. Children delight in kneading bread dough for our freshly baked snack. Parents are treated to handwork projects with natural materials. Special attention is given to supporting the unfolding of each child’s interests, motor skills, social interaction and problem solving skills.
This is the most crucial time in child development. At this age, children learn, change and grow more than at any other time in their lives. Everything they experience during this period, from the clothing on their skin, the nourishment they receive, the rhythms of their waking and sleeping, to the songs, sounds, moods and actions surrounding them, all lay the foundation for the children’s physical and emotional health throughout their lives.
Being a parent to an infant or toddler presents many joys and challenges. We are witnesses to the wonder of the child’s first steps, words and thoughts. We stand at a pivotal point in time where we have many choices to make along our path of parenting. By training our own skills of observation, as well as gaining confidence in our own creativity, we can approach this wonderful endeavor with insight as well as inspiration. Sharing our experiences and questions, as well as our challenges, with one another can strengthen us as well. In the Waldorf Parent-Child Circle, we join hands as we move along the path of parenting.
Current Schedule
Fall 2011 Session II
- Wednesdays, November 9-December 14 (five weeks, no class Nov. 23)
- Thursdays, November 10-December 15 (five weeks, no class Nov. 24)
- Fridays, November 11-December 16 (five weeks, no class Nov. 25)
Winter 2012 Session I
- Wednesdays, January 11-February 15 (six weeks)
- Thursdays, January 12-February 16 (six weeks)
- Fridays, January 13-February 10 (five weeks)
Winter 2012, Session II
- Wednesdays, February 22-March 21, (five weeks)
- Thursdays, February 23-March 22 (five weeks)
- Fridays, February 24-March 23 (five weeks)